


Winged Victory

by bazinga01



Category: The Bold Type
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 08:38:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14540913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bazinga01/pseuds/bazinga01
Summary: A chance meeting in Paris. (AU- Different Timeline)





	Winged Victory

**Author's Note:**

> A while back I had this idea for an AU, where I wondered what it might have been like if Kat and Adena had met in Paris, 3 or 4 years before they meet in canon- when Kat has just finished college and Adena is still travelling the world- and spent 24 hours in Paris together. I've not been able to continue the concept to write a longer story, and this completed portion of it has sat in my drafts for months. I figured it was worth sharing what I have, to at least give you a glimpse into this AU possibility and let your imagination wander like mine did. Enjoy, but please note that I do not intend to continue this.

She rounds the corner to be met by a spacious atrium and staircase that descends from two sides, meeting in the middle where a statue is on prominent display before continuing downward. Something about the statue is captivating, and she descends the staircase slowly, looking at it in awe. She thinks this one might be famous, more so even than the many other statues and paintings here, because she’s pretty sure she’s seen this in a book or something before.

When she reaches the large platform where the statue stands, she stares up at it, taking in the gorgeous features of the stone, the details of the body and the way the fabric of her clothes seem to be blowing in the wind but frozen in time. Her eyes travel upward, to take in the wings outstretched behind the body of the statue, and she thinks for the hundredth time this afternoon that she can’t believe she almost missed this. That she almost left Paris without even going to the Louvre, because of her stupid friends.

“It’s stunning, isn’t it?”

It takes her a second to realize that the woman standing several steps away is speaking to her, and Kat turns her head to respond. The woman’s hair is wrapped, covered by a pastel pink floral scarf while she holds a camera to her chest, and Kat wonders where she’s from with that accent.

She nods, looks back up to the statue. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s amazing,” she answers, making conversation.

“Are you familiar with Nike?” the woman asks, and Kat tilts her head at her.

“Uhh, yeah? I mean, I’m more of an Adidas girl myself, but…” she trails off, confused by the odd question, and the woman smiles at her.

“The goddess, I mean. The statue is of the Greek goddess Nike,” she says, and it’s entirely friendly, without any air of condescension.

Still, she ducks her head, stares at the shiny floor. “Right. Yeah, of course.”

“Though I imagine that’s probably where the company got the name,” she continues, and Kat looks back up at her. “Nike is the goddess of victory.”

The woman is still smiling, at ease in conversation, and she can’t help but wonder who this person is, making casual conversation with strangers in a museum. For whatever reason, it’s not off-putting to her like it normally would be. Maybe it’s because Kat’s by herself and she’s glad to have someone to talk to. Or maybe it’s because there’s no intellectual arrogance to the woman’s words. But she finds herself willing and wanting to keep talking to her.

“Huh. Well that’s cool. I’ll have to remember that, see if it ever comes up as a random trivia question,” she jokes, adjusting the strap of her bag against her shoulder.

“Trivia?” the woman questions, heavily accenting the word. “Sorry, English is not my first language.”

“Oh! It’s um, it’s a type of game, basically. It sort of…tests what random information people know, that you wouldn’t expect them to.”

“Ah, okay,” she says, taking in the information with open curiosity. “Thank you.” The woman pauses for a moment, then—

“I have a confession to make.”

She says it hesitantly, but still with a smile in her voice, and Kat quirks her eyebrow at her, waiting for her to explain. The woman lifts her camera from her chest in acknowledgment, strap still around her neck.

“I took your picture, a moment ago,” she admits, and Kat doesn’t know what she was expecting her to say, but it wasn’t that. “I did not ask your permission first because I didn’t want to ruin the shot. Here, can I show you?”   

She’s already moving toward Kat, camera extended and pressing a button to bring up the image on the small display screen. Then the woman is right next to her, subtle scent of her perfume drifting over, and Kat looks down at the screen with curiosity.

“You were so captivated by the statue. It’s that moment, you know? When a work of art overtakes you. I saw it happening with you, and I had to capture it.”

Her tone is soft but full of passion and when the woman looks up at her with a smile, Kat finds herself caught in her gaze. Eventually she clears her throat, blinks away from the intensity of it, and looks at the picture again.

It really is a stunning shot. The angle and the lighting of it. The look of awe on her face that the woman captured.

“This is amazing. You’re really talented,” Kat tells her, and the woman presses a button to turn the camera off before meeting her eyes again. “You have my permission, to keep the picture. If that’s what you’re wondering.”

The woman bites her lip, nods. “Thank you.” Then, “What is your name?”

“Oh, I’m Kat. I’m, uh, I’m visiting from New York. You?”

“My name is Adena,” she says, lips quirking up in a smile. “And I am, ah, a traveler, you might say. I am staying here in Paris, for now.”

“A traveler, huh?” Kat answers, considering her response. “So where’s home for you, Adena? When you’re done traveling.”

A pensive look crosses over her face and she stares off at the statue for several seconds before responding.

“I am from Iran, if that is what you’re wanting to know,” Adena says, tone soft. “But, ah,…I have not been there in quite some time. So I suppose Paris is home for now. At least until I choose my next destination.”

Kat has so many questions for her. What’s Iran like? Why did she leave? How long has she been gone? Where all has she travelled? Has she been doing it alone this whole time? But, more than anything else—

_Why do I want to keep talking to you? I don’t even know you._

“So what’s your story, Kat? What brings you to Paris?”

Before she can even consider why she’s answering and not deflecting, not walking away to see the next wing of the Louvre, she’s explaining to Adena.

“I just graduated from college, from NYU. I came here with friends, a group of us. Sort of a last hoorah before we all part ways, start new jobs and stuff. I came here to experience something new, I guess. To have an adventure, before I dive into the work grind.”

Adena looks at her, regarding her with interest and listening intently, and there’s something so disarming about it. People don’t act like this, in New York. Strangers don’t stop to talk to each other, to meet each other, to listen. But Adena is standing in front of her with genuine curiosity, listening with patience, like she has all the time in the world, and it’s the strangest thing.

“And did you find it? The adventure you were seeking?” Adena asks, like she truly wants to know the answer, and Kat shakes her head.

“Not really,” she admits quietly. “This city is so beautiful. But, uh, I think I saw more of the inside of bars than I saw the city,” she laughs, even though it’s not really funny anymore, and Adena frowns, not laughing along like other people would. “I think their idea of adventure was just getting drunk in Europe instead of at home. Which was fun the first couple days, but, I don’t know…”

“You wanted more,” Adena finishes gently, and Kat reluctantly nods.

They stand together in silence for a few moments, quiet chatter of the Louvre echoing around them as other visitors pass by.

“Anyway, it uh, it doesn’t really matter,” she deflects, regretting saying anything to this woman she just met. “Sorry to overshare. It was, it was nice to meet you Adena,” she says, giving a polite smile, and starts to step away.

“Kat, wait.”

She stops, turns to face Adena fully again, and Adena gives a cute little shrug and a smile.

“Why not see more of the Louvre together, share it with someone? Before you go home,” Adena proposes, and Kat chews at her lip, unsure. “There are always adventures to be had in Louvre,” she adds, like it’s a best kept secret, and Kat smiles.

She thinks about it for second, figures there’s no harm in walking with Adena for little while since she’d just be by herself otherwise anyway, and Adena is interesting to be around.

“Okay. Okay, yeah. Why not?”

Adena smiles and steps up alongside her.

“So which sections have you seen so far?” she asks, reaching for the map in Kat’s hand.

“I don’t even know,” she laughs. “This place is a gigantic, I’ve just sorta been wandering.”

“Hmm, okay,” Adena muses. “Well, what kind of art do you like?”

She swallows, not sure that she wants to admit that she doesn’t even know. That she’s lived in New York City for four years and she still hasn’t been to the Met. That the Louvre is one of the few art museums she’s ever been to, and she only came because it’s such a famous place to visit.

“I…You’ve been here before, right? I mean, it sounds like you have,” Kat ventures, and Adena nods. “So, surprise me. Or, I don’t know, let’s just keep wandering. I already saw the Mona Lisa, which was the main thing I knew I need to see, so…”

Adena gives her a smile, looking into her eyes, and she finds herself blushing and blinking away from the focused attention of it.

“Sometimes the best surprises come when you let yourself wander,” Adena muses, agreeing to the plan, and they descend the steps together, leaving the Nike statue behind.

**Author's Note:**

> Again, I wanted to share the love and a glimpse into this world, but I do not have the capacity to make this a longer story. Thanks! And as always, comments/feedback are loved and appreciated.


End file.
